Texas Lawmakers Split on Saving Women's Health Program
Two of the Legislature's top public health leaders are defending Republican lawmakers’ pledge to end the entire Women's Health Program rather than allow Planned Parenthood to participate. The joint state-federal reproductive health program provides contraception and cancer screenings — but not abortions — to 130,000 poor Texans, many of them at Planned Parenthood clinics.
"I guess we all need to see what it looks like when we don’t have it, and then we may need to regroup at that point," said state Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, the chairwoman of the House Public Health Committee. "If we lose the ...
Comments (19)
David Lee Koontz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Good. Planned Parenthood is little more than murder-by-numbers sanctioned by one of the worst and most bass-ackwards judicial rulings in history. They SHOULDN'T let Planned Parenthood participate.
Carolyn F
Nelson and Kolkhorst should be ashamed of their stance--trying to blame this on the federal government when this is a decision being made, ultimately, in the state.
And as women, they should respect the rights of other women to get free/low cost health services that are so critical to preventing disease.
IF this were about male reproductive systems, would we be hearing a word? Are we banning funds to clinics where men have treatment, get contraception, or have reproductive surgery? I think not.
This is unfair and I hope voters respond to this!
Rick Scott McGuckin via Texas Tribune on Facebook
That's your opinion, koontz, why let facts get in the way? The fact is, you would deny cancer screenings and all sorts of preventative care because 3% of PP's money goes towards abortions. For shame.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick, you are correct and PP also provides men's health care too. Don't blame Obama or the federal govt. Any idiot can clearly see that the GOP nationally and in Texas want to shut down PP and direct the money to *Pregnancy Crisis Centers* that are unregulated, unlicensed and have no oversight/accountability whatsoever. They are already get big $$$$$ state and federal funding. Texans should be outraged by this. More wasteful spending by Rick Perry and GOP.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Women in America should be afraid--very afraid. First they tell you you can't do and then they dictate what you have to do.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Christian *Sharia* law.
Marlene Lobberecht via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Pathetic.
Debbie Mason via Texas Tribune on Facebook
David Lee Koontz and you know that because you are a women and go there right. Let me tell you this, one of my daughters has endemitrous "sp" and if it were for planned parenthood she would not be able to work. You sir know nothing of women's health issues and what Planned Parenthood does. Go visit one and come back and talk to us. I am so tired of that attitude. The majority of Planned Parenthood do not do abortions so get your facts straight. The majority of Planned Parenthood give women health care who can not afford to go else where. Maybe you need a education on it, instead of what you think happens at one.. Oh by the way what do you think Vasectomies are for you men? I sure do not see men complaining about them or penis enhancement drugs. Planned Parenthood saves lives everyday. If you sir do not believe in abortion then do not have one. Just as I wont have a penis enhancement or vasectomy.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I can't wait to get the religious fanatics out of politics and people's lives. I wish the rapture would come quickly because these judgmental jerks need a wake up call.
Alexandra Richmond via Texas Tribune on Facebook
At one point in my life, Planned parenthood was the only clinic I could get into for a basic pap smear and doctor checkup. People's clinic had stopped accepting patients by that time. David lee koontz, what planned parenthood clinic have you visited and for what purpose?
Tom Erickson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
They should regroup now and save the program.
Alice Taylor
Kolkhurst and Nelson are flaming idiots. Hypocritical and selfish flaming idiots.
Better to let millions go back to the Feds and let Texan women of all faiths (not just their own faith) to sicken and die while they are getting premium healthcare themselves than be tainted with the possibility that an organization they dislike playing a part in keeping a good Women's Health program going.
Sonora Hartley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
PP does so much good in Bexar County (San Antonio) that truly I cannot imagine not having them. I personally know women who may well be alive today because of early diagnoses of cervical and breast cancer. Both were young single professionals working at small nonprofits for fairly low pay and without employer sponsored healthcare. They were able to get examinations on a sliding scale and then PP was able to refer them to cancer treatment programs that took them on as non paying patients. Even though these women were embarrassed at not being able to pay their way they felt comfortable going to PP because of their stellar reputation.
I know another uninsured self employed professional woman in her 60s who had not had an annual exam in over 30 years. When her friends nagged her into going to PP the doc gave her a thorough exam and turned out she was diabetic. PP referred her for low cost treatment and she's doing well.
And I wonder how many cases of STDs and HIV PP catches early and treats. Some women, no matter how much money or health coverage, might be too embarrassed to go to their regular doctor. I like knowing PP is there for all women, any woman, all the time.
Joe Pojman via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The Obama Administration is about to kill the entire Women's Health Program (WHP) and the cut off funding to hundreds of certified non-abortion providers (as the Texas Tribune map shows). Why? Simply because the Obama Administration refuses to allow Texas to fund these providers while excluding Planned Parenthood's abortion providers and their affiliates. If the program dies, the blame lies with Obama, not Texas. Texas has applied in earnest to reauthorize and strengthen the program. Because of the Obama Administration, no provider will receive funding, and 130,000 low-income women will be denied preventative health services.
Planned Parenthood should not be trusted with our tax dollars. For example, Planned Parenthood of San Antonio operated four abortion facilities illegally without a license for as long as four years until they were discovered by the State in 2009 and fined more than $100,000. They were required to return thousands of dollars billed to the WHP.
There are ample alternate WHP providers in Texas who are not involved in abortion. These physicians and clinics typically offer comprehensive primary and preventative care in addition to family planning. These providers could become the medical home for low-income women.
Planned Parenthood is a poor investment of public funds. Planned Parenthood offers only a narrow range of services and is unwilling or incapable of offering comprehensive primary and preventative care. Planned Parenthood cannot treat breast cancer. They do not even have one mammogram machine anywhere in Texas. The only time a woman will see a doctor at Planned Parenthood is if she is there for an abortion. Women deserve better.
Pat Wood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The Obama administration is killing nothing, but rather supporting valuable services provided by one of the best organizations in our community. It could be argued that Planned Parenthood fights abortion way more effectively than does the Republican Party---I am sure more abortions have been avoided by means of low cost birth control than through all the efforts of the right wing of this country to bring down programs like Planned Parenthood. Fact is, only private funds are used to support abortions (which are still legal, by the way)---and this constitutes 3% of their budget. But why let facts get in the way when you can make up an alternate reality that supports your own biases?
Tiffany Sparks-Bramlett via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No, sorry dude but Texas is shutting down the Women's Health Program.
Bea McGuire via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Hope Joe & David aren't getting financial advice from the same people they're getting their info on PP. They'd be broke.
Mars Bonfire
Another example of Texas republican'ts cutting off their noses to spite their faces. Kolkhorst and Nelson are good ol' gals, serving not Texas women, but rather their patriarchal "father knows best" masters in the 'ledge. The reason these women curmudgicans feel 'visibly reluctant' to discuss defunding Planned Parenthood and refer to this morass as 'a balancing act' is because they KNOW their decision to not put one state dollar with NINE federal dollars will impact women's health- they just don't have the courage to admit it. They are saying "I choose to defund an entity using 3% of its funds legally (but in a way I disagree with) knowing that some of my constituents will die from preventable diseases."
I can't understand why the capital isn't bursting with mad-as-hell Texas women (and men, for that matter).
Anya Khan
Planned Parenthood would rather kills babies than help women. No state or fed money them until then stop being a new Murder Inc.